This photo shows what I think is Condell Park c1935, but I am not really sure. It does not use the name but the description accompanying it states: “The only official play-ground, situated right opposite the Town Hall, bounded on the North by ramshackle cottages.” The slope of the ground suggests a point of view from the south side of Condell St near the corner of Napier St.

Courtesy of F. Oswald Barnett Collection, State Library of Victoria / ID: mp010427 / photographer: Frederick Barnett / copyright: Oswald Barnett Collection, State Library of Victoria / used under the fair dealings provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 / c1935

Now Condell park looks like this, but I am not sure how old the church spire is in the background, as it is not evident in the photo above. Have I go it wrong? Is the park in the top photo actually on another side of the town hall? See the landscape in Google Streetview (below).

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There are many other small parks in Fitzroy. I don’t know the history of the various sites, but I have commented on the lack of names of the parks on the corner of George St and Charles St and on King William St. I don’t want to read too much into the notes for this photo, but they can read to suggest that the other parks were not ‘official’ or had different uses in the past.